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O's set rotation for pivotal series against Red Sox

O's set rotation for pivotal series against Red Sox

9/2/13: Bud Norris gives up one run on four hits while striking out eight through seven dominant innings of work to tally the win

By Brittany Ghiroli
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MLB.com |

TORONTO -- The Orioles have tentatively set their rotation schedule for Boston, with Scott Feldman, Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman slated to pitch in the three-game set that opens Tuesday.

What happens after that is up in the air, with manager Buck Showalter planning on talking to Bud Norris -- who was scratched from Friday's start with right elbow tightness -- to get a better idea of the next step with him. Norris, who was scratched after the issue flared up again during Wednesday's work day, hasn't picked up a ball since and was hoping he would only miss one start.

Norris would have to pick up a ball in the next day or two to be considered in the next rotation go-around, with Jason Hammel -- who subbed for Norris -- another option for the rotation moving forward. Norris said he will try to throw on Sunday.

Hammel, making his first start since going on the disabled list in late July, went five innings and allowed three runs, including a pair of solo homers, in the Orioles' 5-3 win.

"That's the first time he's gotten up five times, but I can tell you if his pitch count was down and he was doing real well, I might have let him go," said Showalter, who described Hammel's outing as just OK. "Physically, he's not that far away from it. I just thought that was the right spot, especially where we were in the batting order."

Hammel, who missed time with right flexor mass soreness, said throwing the slider -- which previously hampered him -- gave him no issues in Friday's start and was encouraged with how he came through things physically.

"I'm healthy. I feel good. I still feel like my arm can get stronger," Hammel said after the 62-pitch outing. "I really didn't have too much of a building process to get back here. It's just nice to be pitching again and be able to get through five innings with 60-some pitches. I obviously wanted to go deeper, but they wanted to be smart about it."